The disclosure relates to components and systems for directing fluid flow in stressful environments, as well as methods of manufacturing such components, and, more specifically, stress-resistant flow components, such as those used in heat recovery steam generator output manifolds.
The pace of change and improvement in the realms of power generation, aviation, and other fields has accompanied extensive research for manufacturing components used in these fields. Conventional manufacture of metallic components generally includes milling or cutting away regions from a slab of metal before treating and modifying the cut metal to yield a part, which may have been simulated using computer models and computer aided design. Manufactured components which may be formed from metal include piping, fittings, and other flow components for installation in a power plant or subsystem thereof, as well as mechanical components for other manufacturing, transportation, and structural systems.
The development of additive manufacturing, also known in the art as “3D printing,” can reduce manufacturing costs by allowing such components to be formed more quickly, with unit-to-unit variations as appropriate. Among other advantages, additive manufacture can directly apply computer-generated models to a manufacturing process while relying on less expensive equipment and/or raw materials.
Additive manufacturing can allow a component to be formed from a reserve of fine metal powder positioned on a build plate, which is processed by an electron beam or laser (using fusing heat treatments such as sintering or melting) to form a component or sub-component. Additive manufacturing equipment can also form components by using three-dimensional models generated with software included within and/or external to the manufacturing equipment. Some devices fabricated via additive manufacture can be formed initially as several distinct components at respective processing stages before being assembled in a subsequent process.
Additive manufacturing opens opportunities for complex internal and surface structures for metal components, as well as dynamic design processes and component customization.
Heat recovery steam generator systems may include an output manifold for aggregating flow and routing the working fluid to a steam turbine and/or other process demand. Any given output manifold may have defined flow capacities, wall thickness, materials, and link assemblies with corresponding angles for controlling and enduring thermal stresses. Any given output manifold may have defined flow capacities, wall thickness, materials, and link assemblies for controlling and enduring thermal stresses. However, thermal stress from high cycling systems may increase component wear and decrease the life of the output manifold and/or its components made using conventional molding or reductive manufacturing techniques.